If you’ve become interested in cosplay, you might be overwhelmed by the wealth of costumes and characters to choose from. And it’s not just ready-made costumes — you’ll find materials, accessories, props and patterns for all abilities and mashups.
To help you steal the show, we’ve compiled a guide to popular retailers that can steer you toward your first cosplay, help you narrow down a character or just add to your already perfect ensemble.
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Personal style and preference guide cosplayers to take on characters from wide-ranging universes. But you’ll find common genres in this fun world of role-play, many containing unique costumes within them.
When choosing your own cosplay character, start with these genres for inspiration.
Anime cosplays
Ash Ketchum
It’s not a convention without at least one of these guys walking around — ready to catch ’em all.
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Sailor Moon
A perennial favorite, this iconic anime girl is is often spotted with her full squad of Sailor Scouts.
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Naruto
You’re sure to get lots of attention playing this little ninja, one of the world’s favorite anime characters.
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Video game cosplays
Kitana
The Mortal Kombat character is a popular choice for cosplayers looking to show off their dangerous side.
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Link
It would be wrong to leave out this iconic Zelda character.
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Mario
From beautiful Princess Peach to inseparable Mario and Luigi, Super Mario Bros. cosplay is always popular.
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Movie and TV cosplays
Storm Troopers
These Star Wars cosplayers typically travel in large, uniform groups.
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Power Rangers
If you don’t catch a whole group of these guys, you’re likely to spy at least the Green Ranger.
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Velma
Any character from the iconic Scooby Doo is a surefire hit and super-fun costume.
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Superhero movie cosplays
The Winter Soldier
Cosplayers work to master the iconic metal arm of this Captain America hero.
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The Joker and Harley Quinn
This dynamic duo is a good costume for friends and couples who want to dress up together.
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Deadpool
Rough-around-the-edges, this Marvel character is an increasingly popular choice in the cosplay world.
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Go forth and cosplay!
When shopping for your cosplay costume, consider your budget, personal style and time to get creative. Remember, cosplay is supposed to be fun. Stay true to yourself, and don’t stress too much.
Bookmark this page for a cosplay directory to easily narrow down the costume or prop you might be looking for in the future.
A portmanteau of costumed play, cosplay is a hobby and lifestyle whereby people dress up as characters from a movie, book or video game — both popular and obscure.
Traditional cosplays come from Japanese anime. Cosplayers often take on the role of the character they are playing and gather at conventions with other enthusiasts.
For inspiration and camaraderie, attend a convention in person. But you’ll find lots of inspiration online too.
Search the #cosplay tag on Instagram or Pinterest to see thousands of beautiful, intricate costumes.
The definition may depend on the cosplayer you ask. But In the context of cosplay, genderbending generally is when a role-player switches up the gender of the character they’re meant to represent.
It could mean dressing up as a female Han Solo or “Maria and Luigia” from Super Mario Bros. But it’s such a fun and transformative part of cosplay, that we bet genderbending is up to personal interpretation.
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